The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Protests continue over distribution of free colour TVs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Protests continue over distribution of free colour TVs

K. Manikandan

Nanmangalam residents allege favouritism in choosing beneficiaries of the scheme

LEFT OUT: Residents of Nanmangalam stage protests for the second consecutive day on Tuesday alleging discrimination in the distribution of free colour TV sets. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM : Residents of Nanmangalam, near here, staged protests for the second consecutive day on Tuesday alleging favouritism in the distribution of free colour television sets.

They squatted on the road opposite the panchayat office and blocked traffic for about 30 minutes. On Monday, 200 residents had surrounded the panchayat office on the same issue in a protest that lasted for about an hour.

The protestors accused government agencies and elected representatives of favouritism while identifying the beneficiaries.

Distribution of the colour TV sets was stopped temporarily in Tirusulam panchayat some days ago following confusion over beneficiaries.

N.R.Krishnan, one of the three Ward Members from Ward No. 3, led the residents on Tuesday, who alleged that affluent households were selected for the scheme, while eligible families were ignored.

Most of families who received the colour televisions already own sets, they said. The distribution of free colour televisions in the panchayat was launched recently after a formal inauguration by the Tambaram MLA S.R.Raja. The protesting residents charged that a large number of families living below the poverty line in the panchayat stayed in Ward No.3, but most of them were ignored. This they attributed to the favouritism of elected representatives and officials, who, however, dismissed the charges.

Exhaustive survey

Officials said an exhaustive survey was conducted and it found that 909 houses in the panchayat had colour televisions, 371 had black and white TVs and 601 families did not have television. The requirement of colour television sets was 972, the officials said, adding that distribution had begun "ward-by-ward."

They, however, admitted that it was not possible to ensure that only genuine families received the benefit, considering the magnitude of the scheme.

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